Inflated arch support and ventilated heel cushion



July 6, 1937. s, Q PEARSON 2,086,389

INFLATED ARCH SUPPORT AND VENTILATED HEEL CUSHION Filed Sept. 24, 1936 Susan Clare Pearson INVENTOR ATTORN Patented July 6, 1937 .INFLATED ARCH SUPPORT AND VENTILAT- ED HEEL CUSHION Susan Clare Pearson, New York, N. Y.

Application September 24, 1936, Serial No. 102,273

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to inserts for shoes, boots, slippers and the like, especially inserts of soft rubber as a pad to the heel to prevent the jarring of the spine, and has for its object the provision of a soft rubber heel with an enlarged inflated pocket to be used as a pad between the foot and the hard leather sole of the shoe to give resilience and to maintain perfect contact between the foot and the shoe, thus keeping the heel in position and preventing the foot from slipping forward thereby eliminating all causes of corns, bunions and falling arches.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a soft rubber inner heel provided with means for circulation of air through the heel and around the foot. The shifting weight of the body while walking acts as a pumping action on the structure which forces the air through and under the heel and around inside the shoe.

Rubber heels worn on the outside of the shoe are almost universally used at the present time because they tend to relieve the shock to the spine while the wearer is walking over the hard pavements. These heels placed inside the shoe between the foot and the hard leather sole would be ever so much more effective, a matter undebatable as indicated by the fact if one ever uses an air cushion for spinal ills, it is placed between the spine and chair and not under the chair.

The foregoing and other features of my invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification in which I have represented my inner rubber heel in its preferred form after which I shall point out more particularly in the claims those features which I believe to be new and of my own invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of my device.

Figure 2 is a section along the line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section along line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sketch showing the relative position of the foot and shoe, with my device in place as in use.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a soft heel pad preferably of sponge rubber ID with an integral inflated cushion or pad H. In my preferred form the heel portion is thicker at the edge l2 furthest away from the pad portion and gradually decreases in height of section throughout the heel portion to a point l3 where it bulges out to form a pocket M which may be inflated with air or gas. In the manufacture of the device the pocket l4 may be filled with gas and permanently sealed within the pocket or means may be provided for inflating the pocket after its manufacture by any well known means. As no claim is to be made of the inflation means it requires no further description here.

It will be observed that the cushion or pad II is thicker in its central portion and gradually curving to its outer portion, the thickest portion being substantially greater in height than the height of the thickest portion of the heel por- 10 tion. This is of considerable importance because with this conformation the heel of the foot is kept in its position in the shoe preventing the foot from slipping forward thereby eliminating 'most of the causes of foot troubles.

On the bottom side of the heel portion I provide cross grooves with holes 2| extending from the grooves 20 through the upper surface of the heel portion H0. The object of these grooves and holes is to provide a free circulation 20 of air around the device and heel of the wearer.

As the weight of the wearer shifts from one foot to the other the air within the holes is pumped out and in through the grooves thereby ventilating the foot.

I wish it distinctly understood that my ventilating heel herein described and illustrated is in the form in which I desire to construct it and that changes or variations may be made as may be convenient or desirable without departing from the salient features of my invention and I therefore intend the following claims to cover such modifications as naturally fall within the lines of invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a rubber heel portion joined with an integral inflated cushion, said heel portion constructed out of soft rubber of maximum thickness at the edge of the heel portion farthest away from the 40 cushion and gradually decreasing in height of section throughout the heel portion until its juncture with the inflated cushion portion.

2. The device of claim 1 including means to ventilate the heel portion comprising a plurality of cross grooving on the under side of the heel portion with through holes extending upward from the grooves. I

3. The device of claim 1 including an air cushion substantially thicker than the maximum thickness of the heel portion and inflated with gas under pressure.

4. A device of the class described comprising a heel portion of soft rubber of maximum thickness at the heel end thereof and gradually decreasing in thickness throughout the heel until it forms a hollow pocket which when inflated assumes a thickness substantially thicker than the maximum thickness of the heel portion.

5. The device of claim 4 including the hollow pocket of maximum thickness in substantially the center thereof and gradually curving to the extreme edge portion which is the thinnest por- 10 tion of the entire heel portion. 

